So this week I tried CrossFit for the first time…
Now if you don’t know what CrossFit is, then it’s a training methodology that combines endurance, gymnastics and weightlifting together. They also do what’s called a WOD (workout of the day) which is a set workout that combines any of the training variants which will be set in a circuit style fashion which you will then have to complete these exercises for time (I’m still learning myself what CrossFit really is) a WOD can be the main bulk of the session or something you do to finish after working on lets say olympic lifting or areas of weaknesses/technique etc to improve on your WOD.
I felt it doing CrossFit on lower calories this week, I just didn’t have the energy I would normally but back to higher higher calories again next week which will help with performance in the gym.
It’s still early doors but the plan is to do CrossFit twice a week and my normal strength/hypertrophy training for the other 3 days a week to continue on my body goals journey.
So nothing has changed with the end goal as it was always to build a bigger, leaner physique that looks athletic which means CrossFit will help with the athletic look that I desire.
What will I need to change to make sure I still reach my body goal?
The most important factor I need to change/consider is my energy balance (calories in vs calories out). CrossFit can be quite an intense way to train and therefor end up burning a lot more energy than I do with my regular training programme. If we want to put on muscle we need to be in a calorie surplus (so consume more calories than we burn).
It sounds easy right?
Well, this is actually quite hard and something I already have trouble with albeit I am much better now at reaching my target calories. So I will have to work keep working on how I conveniently increase my calorie consumption. For me eating more volume of food is not an option as I eat a lot already and don’t feel I have the space or time to eat any more so I will need to keep looking at ways to eat more calorie dense foods and use drinks as a way to increase my calories that’s not too taxing on the digestive system and not too time consuming.
My Training Style
We all have a preferred way of training. Whether it’s strength training that taxes the CNS (central nervous system), getting the pump with higher volume i.e bodybuilding and really working to break down the muscle tissue, or training like an athlete where you like to combine functional strength, endurance and explosive moves such as olympic lifting, sprinting, jumping, rope climbs bodyweight etc.
Well for me the latter is the preferred style of training which suits my body and personality best. None of the above are superior and there is nothing wrong with wanting to do all three styles of training. It’s just what comes most naturally and I tend to be best with functional athletic movements which helps with my motivation to train.
Everyone is different and we all have our strengths and weaknesses but there is a training style out there for everyone. It’s important to find what you enjoy most because that is probably what you are best at and you will see greater results because you are more likely to dedicate yourself and work with more conviction.
NEXT WEEK
So a normal week for me next week at work and not too many distractions to get in the way of my training and diet, but I will keep you posted with how I adjust over the next week to my new training plan and trying to increase my calorie intake.
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